The Best Restaurants to Dine Solo in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors

Food writer M.F.K. Fisher helped to popularize the notion of dining solo, which can be one of life’s ultimate pleasures. There’s something delightful and intimate about not having to engage in conversation with a dining partner or having to explain your presence while simply easing into a meal. Often, staff strike the right balance between banter with customers and peaceful solitude and enjoyment of their meal. Usually, the best solo dining seats are at a restaurant’s bar, with the bonus that these seats also frequently provide a great vantage point to the rest of the dining room or into a busy kitchen, all while sipping and eating from some of the city’s best restaurants. Here are the best places to dine alone in Los Angeles.

Grand Central Market

Any trip to Grand Central Market should start with a lap around the space to take in all the options, ranging from currywurst to smash burgers to lobster rolls. Solo diners don’t have to navigate the ever-busy market with a group that can’t quite decide what they want. Instead, opt for a main from one restaurant like Shiku’s dosirak or Ramen Hood’s vegan ramen, and complement it with bites from other vendors like Oyster Gourmet’s freshly shucked oysters or sliced fruit from La Fruteria. The upside to dining alone and ordering from a few vendors is that it basically guarantees having leftovers for a second meal.

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